What Did Not Change When She Married?

Searching female ancestors in many countries is complicated by the female adopting the last name of her husband at her marriage. Think about those things that do not change when trying to search for that female relative after her marriage:

her first and, if she has one, middle names

her date and place of birth

her parents–she may have lived near them after her marriage. They may have lived with her in their old age.

the names of her brothers–she may have lived near them after her marriage

the names of her unmarried sisters–they may have lived with her at some point in their lives.

All of these can be ways to search finding aids to some records in your attempts to find the missing married female ancestor.

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One thought on “What Did Not Change When She Married?”

The middle name remaining unchanged is not guaranteed. In my family and many others in Virginia (and the South?), the middle name is dropped so the woman’s surname becomes her new middle name (and quite possible a given name for a child).